The New College in Oxford, England, was built in 1369. It is a massive building, and thick wooden beams support the roof. About 100 years ago, it developed some rotting and needed replacing. The man who was in charge of this repair when to see the college forester to see if he could find some trees in the local forest that could replace the wood. The forester replied with a smile and said we have been waiting for you for 500 years. They planted the tree grove when the college was built to be ready in time for the wood needed to repair the beam.

This story left an impression on me when I saw Rick Antonson’s Ted Talk on Cathedral Thinking (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewaNkYrZOJ0).

What is Cathedral thinking? It represents the work we do today, which causes things to happen in the future, something we may not live to see but will be experienced by future generations.

We live in a world of instant gratification, and hearing about the long-term generational satisfaction for your life’s work felt satisfying.

We need to approach solving our complex challenges such as climate change, sustainable living, and next-generation digital infrastructure, with a Cathedral Thinking mindset. This approach may be our only way to leave the place better for the next generation.

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